My Breakdown of Clips' Situation w/ poll . . .
Posted: Wed Jul 9, 2008 9:26 pm
Its my understanding that the Clips have approximately 14 mil in cap space left after the Brand / Maggette debacle . . . so from my point of view they have 4 options :
A. Go for the big splash RFA
Candidates : Josh Smith , Andre Iguodala
Most likely : Josh Smith
If the Clips threw a 5 year deal starting at 14 mil for any of these players , I doubt that any of their teams would match . It would be a 5 year 81 million dollar deal .
Iguodala : Sixers more likely than Hawks to match as they have shown a willingness to overspend in the past . However , I doubt they would match as 16 mil per season for Iggy is probably too rich for thier blood . If the Clips signed Iggy they would get a point for the revenge factor . The Clips would be able to really run with Iggy at the 3 and Thornton at the 4 . Still , 16 mil for a 18 - 20 ppg guy is a lot .
Smith : I still think this would be overpaying but you have to think they would be more comfortable with overpaying him than Iggy . He is younger , he is a better fit and has more upside . He can run with BD while also being a solid half court defender . The players too strong for him could be guarded by Thornton . And he and Thornton would compliment each other offensively as well as Smooth glides with his athleticism and Thornton bullies his way to the rim . If Smith becomes the 20 and 10 guy he has the potential to become then 16 mil is not a bad price . I doubt the Hawks match the deal either , but you never know .
B . Go for the Second tier RFA
Candidates : Luol Deng , Emeka Okafor ,
Most Likely : Deng
They probably would start a deal for one fo these guys at 12 mil . 5 years 69.5 mil .
Okafor : Okafor is the traditional PF and the most similar to Brand . He's actualy a better rebounder , shot - blocker , and defender than Brand but he lacks his offensive polish . The Bobcats could possibly match this deal as they offered 5 years and 65 million last year .
Deng : Deng brings perhaps the best pure scoring ability of all the RFA's and his mid range game would mesh well with Thornton's slashing , Kaman's post up game , Gordon/Mobley/Thomas 's perimeter shooting , and B - Diddy's little bit of everything . Still I think 14 mil per season is a tad bit over paying . I'd give him 11 - 12 mil per but the Bulls would definitely match that. So if they like Deng they could probably have him for this price.
C. Go for the Third tier RFA / UFA :
Candidates : James Posey , Josh Childress , Carl Landry , Nenad Kristic , JR Smith
Most Likely : Landry + Childress
The Clips could decide that their best move is to break up their space and improve the overall depth of the team . That way they could sign a couple of contributors .
Landry : If they offered Landry a 3 year 18 mil deal starting at 7 mil and with decreasing salaries , I doubt the Rockets match . That would be well into luxury tax money and I doubt they want to go there . Landry would be a solid alternative , who with regular starting minutes could become a 15 and 8 guy for the Clips which would be a very good bargain at 6 mil a year .
Childress : Childress could also likely be had at a 5 deal just above the MLE . Starting at 6.5 they could offer 5 years 38 mil . If the Hawks have to pony up 80 mil to keep Smith then they would probably let Childress walk.
Posey : Same scenario as with the Rockets. A 3 year 21 mil deal at 7 mil per would be too rich for the Celts blood as Posey would be costing them 14 million a season . could step inand start at the three or if coupled with the Landry signing could play 28 - 30 minutes off the bench at the forward spots .
JR Smith : Nuggets are already over the luxury tax so they wont be forfeiting an escrow money if they matched a deal for Smith but they would have to match a deal peny for penny though . So a 6 million dollar offer for Smith would really cost them 12 . . . still I expect them to make a trade this summer involving Melo and K - Mart that really fress up their budgest so they can match a Smith contract offer .
Krstic : I dont think the Nets really want him anymore with all the young bgs they now have so he could be had with just about a 4 mil or 5 mil starting salary . 3 years and 14 mil for Krstic would be decent and he would provide solid size either next to Kaman in the line - up or off the bench behind him as he is a very good rebounder and an excellent shooter .
D. Facilitate a trade
Candidates : Ron Artest , Al Harrington . Eddy Curry
Most Likely : Artest
Artest : If they traded the lower of the MIN first and their own to the Kings for Artest , They would probably bite . With Davis and Artest , the Clippers are a playoff team . . .. though Dunleavy may lose ALL of his hair at the shots that Artest and Davis take sometimes.
Harrington : They could probably trade Brevn Knight for Harrington at this point as the Warriors are loaded with forwards but lacking a PG . . . maybe TT , Kinght , and a 2009 second for Harrington .
Curry : TT for Curry would shave a 2010 contract for the Knicks and they might even throw in Balkman .
What I would do :
I would make Josh Smith my priority and try to get him at 5 years 80 mil . If that failed , I'd try to get Deng at 5 years and 65 mil . And if that failed I'd try to get Landry at 3 years 18 mil and Childress at 5 years 38 mil . And if that failed I'd trade a lotto protected first for Artest and then trade TT for Curry and Balkman .
Option 1 :
C - Kaman / Davis / Jordan
PF - Smith /Powell / Fazekas
SF - Thornton / TT / Williams
SG - Mobley / Gordon
PG - Davis / Knight / Taylor
Option 2 :
C - Kaman / Davis / Jordan
PF - Thornton / Powell / Fazekas
SF - Deng / TT / Williams
SG - Mobley / Gordon
PG - Davis / Knight / Taylor
Option 3 :
C - Kaman / Davis / Jordan
PF - Thornton / Landry / Powell / Fazekas
SF - Childress / TT / Williams
SG - Mobley / Gordon
PG - Davis / Knight / Taylor
Option 4 :
C - Kaman / Curry / Jordan
PF - Thornton / Davis / Powell / Fazekas
SF - Artest / Balkman / Williams
SG - Mobley / Gordon
PG - Davis / Knight / Taylor
A. Go for the big splash RFA
Candidates : Josh Smith , Andre Iguodala
Most likely : Josh Smith
If the Clips threw a 5 year deal starting at 14 mil for any of these players , I doubt that any of their teams would match . It would be a 5 year 81 million dollar deal .
Iguodala : Sixers more likely than Hawks to match as they have shown a willingness to overspend in the past . However , I doubt they would match as 16 mil per season for Iggy is probably too rich for thier blood . If the Clips signed Iggy they would get a point for the revenge factor . The Clips would be able to really run with Iggy at the 3 and Thornton at the 4 . Still , 16 mil for a 18 - 20 ppg guy is a lot .
Smith : I still think this would be overpaying but you have to think they would be more comfortable with overpaying him than Iggy . He is younger , he is a better fit and has more upside . He can run with BD while also being a solid half court defender . The players too strong for him could be guarded by Thornton . And he and Thornton would compliment each other offensively as well as Smooth glides with his athleticism and Thornton bullies his way to the rim . If Smith becomes the 20 and 10 guy he has the potential to become then 16 mil is not a bad price . I doubt the Hawks match the deal either , but you never know .
B . Go for the Second tier RFA
Candidates : Luol Deng , Emeka Okafor ,
Most Likely : Deng
They probably would start a deal for one fo these guys at 12 mil . 5 years 69.5 mil .
Okafor : Okafor is the traditional PF and the most similar to Brand . He's actualy a better rebounder , shot - blocker , and defender than Brand but he lacks his offensive polish . The Bobcats could possibly match this deal as they offered 5 years and 65 million last year .
Deng : Deng brings perhaps the best pure scoring ability of all the RFA's and his mid range game would mesh well with Thornton's slashing , Kaman's post up game , Gordon/Mobley/Thomas 's perimeter shooting , and B - Diddy's little bit of everything . Still I think 14 mil per season is a tad bit over paying . I'd give him 11 - 12 mil per but the Bulls would definitely match that. So if they like Deng they could probably have him for this price.
C. Go for the Third tier RFA / UFA :
Candidates : James Posey , Josh Childress , Carl Landry , Nenad Kristic , JR Smith
Most Likely : Landry + Childress
The Clips could decide that their best move is to break up their space and improve the overall depth of the team . That way they could sign a couple of contributors .
Landry : If they offered Landry a 3 year 18 mil deal starting at 7 mil and with decreasing salaries , I doubt the Rockets match . That would be well into luxury tax money and I doubt they want to go there . Landry would be a solid alternative , who with regular starting minutes could become a 15 and 8 guy for the Clips which would be a very good bargain at 6 mil a year .
Childress : Childress could also likely be had at a 5 deal just above the MLE . Starting at 6.5 they could offer 5 years 38 mil . If the Hawks have to pony up 80 mil to keep Smith then they would probably let Childress walk.
Posey : Same scenario as with the Rockets. A 3 year 21 mil deal at 7 mil per would be too rich for the Celts blood as Posey would be costing them 14 million a season . could step inand start at the three or if coupled with the Landry signing could play 28 - 30 minutes off the bench at the forward spots .
JR Smith : Nuggets are already over the luxury tax so they wont be forfeiting an escrow money if they matched a deal for Smith but they would have to match a deal peny for penny though . So a 6 million dollar offer for Smith would really cost them 12 . . . still I expect them to make a trade this summer involving Melo and K - Mart that really fress up their budgest so they can match a Smith contract offer .
Krstic : I dont think the Nets really want him anymore with all the young bgs they now have so he could be had with just about a 4 mil or 5 mil starting salary . 3 years and 14 mil for Krstic would be decent and he would provide solid size either next to Kaman in the line - up or off the bench behind him as he is a very good rebounder and an excellent shooter .
D. Facilitate a trade
Candidates : Ron Artest , Al Harrington . Eddy Curry
Most Likely : Artest
Artest : If they traded the lower of the MIN first and their own to the Kings for Artest , They would probably bite . With Davis and Artest , the Clippers are a playoff team . . .. though Dunleavy may lose ALL of his hair at the shots that Artest and Davis take sometimes.
Harrington : They could probably trade Brevn Knight for Harrington at this point as the Warriors are loaded with forwards but lacking a PG . . . maybe TT , Kinght , and a 2009 second for Harrington .
Curry : TT for Curry would shave a 2010 contract for the Knicks and they might even throw in Balkman .
What I would do :
I would make Josh Smith my priority and try to get him at 5 years 80 mil . If that failed , I'd try to get Deng at 5 years and 65 mil . And if that failed I'd try to get Landry at 3 years 18 mil and Childress at 5 years 38 mil . And if that failed I'd trade a lotto protected first for Artest and then trade TT for Curry and Balkman .
Option 1 :
C - Kaman / Davis / Jordan
PF - Smith /Powell / Fazekas
SF - Thornton / TT / Williams
SG - Mobley / Gordon
PG - Davis / Knight / Taylor
Option 2 :
C - Kaman / Davis / Jordan
PF - Thornton / Powell / Fazekas
SF - Deng / TT / Williams
SG - Mobley / Gordon
PG - Davis / Knight / Taylor
Option 3 :
C - Kaman / Davis / Jordan
PF - Thornton / Landry / Powell / Fazekas
SF - Childress / TT / Williams
SG - Mobley / Gordon
PG - Davis / Knight / Taylor
Option 4 :
C - Kaman / Curry / Jordan
PF - Thornton / Davis / Powell / Fazekas
SF - Artest / Balkman / Williams
SG - Mobley / Gordon
PG - Davis / Knight / Taylor